Colombo (PTI): The year 2008 saw the LTTE being pushed to
the corner virtually by the Sri Lankan Army in the nearly three
decades-old ethnic war even as India walked a tightrope on addressing the
concerns of displaced civilian Tamils in the island’s embattled northern
region.

The year began with the Sri Lankan Government abrogating
the 2002 ceasefire and launching an all-out offensive against the LTTE in
its strongholds of northern region inflicting heavy damages on the rebels.

With the army forces now positioned in "kissing distances"
at the outer defence lines of the administrative headquarters of LTTE and
main garrison township of Kilinochchi, the flamboyant Army chief Lt Gen
Sarath Fonseka declared that 80 per cent of war with the Tamil Tigers was
over.

India sent a high-level delegation to Colombo in June to
underscore its concern in the rehabilitation of displaced Tamils in parts
of northern Lanka which were liberated from the clutches of the LTTE.

During the meetings, the Indian side reiterated its
position that there was no military solution to the conflict that has
claimed more than 60,000 lives and asked Colombo to address the issue
within the framework of a united Sri Lanka.

The team also met with representatives of various Tamil
parties, including the pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance (TNA).